Glenn and Lillian Earl: putting the gold in “golden years”

The keys to a joyous marriage and happy retirement, say Glenn and Lillian (Georgeanni) Earl, are having fun together, staying active, and embarking on plenty of adventures.

The athletic globetrotting couple, both members of the Class of 1962, should know after traveling the world while enjoying each other’s company for more than 50 years and counting.

The Earls met at the College during their sophomore year in a world literature class. After plenty of spring picnics and winter skating on Lake Ceva, they were married their senior year just before graduation. They have been together since, and recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

Glenn and Lillian both became teachers after graduating from the College, with Glenn later becoming county superintendent of schools in Cumberland County. They also raised three children before both retiring from their jobs in 2000.

But make no mistake. Just because Glenn and Lillian are retired, and their children grown, does not mean that the two have slowed down at all. In fact, the pace has arguably sped up in exciting ways. When asked what they have been up to in their retirement, Lillian amusingly replied, “What haven’t we been doing?”

“We do lot of sports and a lot of traveling—we’ve traveled all over the world just about,” Glenn added.

The couple visited a Zulu Village during a 2010 trip to South Africa.

But even “a lot” is an understatement when you learn how this bold couple is putting the gold in their golden years. The Earls keep themselves busy with an array of physical activities, including several extreme sports that most people half their age wouldn’t attempt. Among them: skiing, snowboarding, surfing, windsurfing, kiteboarding, wakesurfing, wakeboarding, snorkeling, scuba diving, mountain biking, and tennis.

Their passion for windsurfing and kiteboarding brings them to North Carolina’s Cape Hatteras several times a year. Additionally, they often find themselves snorkeling and scuba diving in the Caribbean. During the summer, they play tennis almost every day.

To break the monotony of winter, Lillian plays indoor tennis three days a week. The couple also goes skiing and snowboarding, with their two favorite destinations being Aspen, CO, and Park City, UT.

Their travels aren’t completely dictated by their passion for extreme sports: The Earls have also been to Costa Rica, Africa, Australia, and all over Europe. They’re planning a trip to China in September 2013 (and would be happy to welcome fellow

Glenn wake surfing.

TCNJ alumni to come with them, they say).

The couple has maintained close ties to the institution where their adventures together began, and recently attended their 50-year Reunion. Glenn served on the Reunion committee that planned the event. “Reunion was really a success. It was great,” he said.

When not country-hopping or extreme-sporting together, Glenn and Lillian are kept busy by their seven grandchildren, all between the ages of 4 and 13.

Asked their secret to sustaining all this energy, the couple reported that they have always just remained very active throughout their marriage, even before retirement. And since retiring, they have stepped up their adventures and experienced more of what the world has to offer.

With that, the lively couple excitedly looks forward to many more years of catching waves, scaling mountains, and living life to the fullest.